Page 68 of The Do-Over

“It’s not a big deal. Neighbors help each other out, right?”

With a small smile, he turned and was down the hall by the time I heard Lilah call from inside my apartment.

“Oh, is that a betta fish? Did you know bettas are very smart? You can train them to do tricks and they even recognize faces. Did you know that?”

Smiling, I followed her inside.

TWENTY-SIX

“A friend in need is a friend indeed.

Especially when it comes with a free meal.”

—MIMI

“Mom, I’m pretty sure he has plans,” I said. For the fourth time.

I’d spent the morning helping Bria fill out job applications, then done some grocery shopping and baked cookies to take to work the next day. But the siren call of sunshine had been too strong to sit in my air-conditioned apartment.

Now I was enjoying the weather in the small garden area in front of my apartment building. Or I had been until I’d accidentally answered my phone before looking at the caller ID. Rookie mistake.

“What plans could he possibly have on Easter? He has no family here. It’s a holiday, so he can’t be working,” my mother said impatiently. “I think it would be nice to get to know him more. Unless, of course, you’re no longer dating.”

Yet another opportunity to come clean. Maybe she’d even forgive me, considering the holiday. I mean, probably not. “I just don’t—”

“Perci!” My head snapped up. Lilah skipped toward me, Nate a few feet behind. She waved a newspaper in my face. “Guess what? Duke Crosby is coming on a tour.”

“Hold on, Mom.” I pressed the phone to my chest. “Duke Crosby is the bird show guy, right?”

She nodded, her pigtails bouncing. “I want to go meet him so bad, and Daddy says we could go.”

“I said we’d have to see if we can get tickets,” Nate said with a shake of his head.

I pointed at the phone and whispered. “It’s my mom. Sorry.”

He nodded and put a hand on Lilah’s back. “Let’s stop bothering her.”

As they walked off, I put the phone back to my ear.

“Did I just hear Lilah and Nate?” Mom asked.

Did she have superhuman hearing too? “Yes, but they’re already gone. So sorry.”

“Persephone, I need a head count for lunch, and he was right there. I don’t see what’s so difficult about asking him.”

“And I already told you, I’m pretty sure they have plans for Easter.”

“I don’t understand why a man you’re dating wouldn’t want to spend time with your family.”

I snorted. “Maybe we can have lunch soon or—” I stopped when a hand appeared in front of me. My eyes jerked up and widened when they connected with Nate’s. How much of that had he heard?

“Let me talk to her,” Nate said.

I frowned and mouthed, No, it’s fine.

He did not take the hint. In fact, he sat next to me and gently pulled the phone from my hand.

“Mrs. Mayfield, how are you?” he said. Into the phone. To my mother. What was happening here?